1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing system comprising an information processing apparatus and an image processing apparatus each including first and second communication units, an information processing apparatus, an image processing apparatus, a control method for them, and a computer program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, proposals have been made to eliminate the complexity of cable connection in an image processing system which captures the image data obtained by scanning by an image processing apparatus such as a digital copying machine or a scanner apparatus from a handheld terminal such as a smart phone, a PDA, or a mobile PC.
For example, as shown in FIG. 13, such an image processing system comprises a handheld terminal 1300 and image processing apparatuses 1301, 1302, and 1303. These components can wirelessly communicate with each other using wireless communication techniques, such as Bluetooth or wireless LAN (IEEE802.11a/b/g or the like). There is no need to use a plurality of image processing apparatuses. Such apparatuses include, for example, a digital multifunction apparatus. When an operator selects a desired one of image processing apparatuses located in a communicable range, the handheld terminal 1300 communicates with the specific image processing apparatus.
FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the functional arrangements of the handheld terminal and image processing apparatus in the image processing system in FIG. 13.
A handheld terminal 1400 corresponding to the handheld terminal 1300 comprises an application unit 1402, scanner driver unit 1403, encode/decode unit 1404, and wireless communication unit 1405. An image processing apparatus 1401 corresponding to each of the image processing apparatuses 1301 and 1302 comprises a wireless communication unit 1406, encode/decode unit 1407, controller UI unit 1408, controller application unit 1409, job control domain unit 1410, scanner unit 1411, and printer unit 1412.
The application unit 1402 is an application using the image data obtained by scanning. The application unit 1402 supplies a scan request to the scanner driver unit 1403 upon activating the scanner driver unit 1403 via an I/F (interface) 1450 (TWAIN, WIA, or the like) in accordance with operation by the operator. The scanner driver unit 1403 receives the scan request from the application unit 1402 and displays a setting window for scan setting.
The operator performs scan setting (a color mode, resolution, and the like) on the setting window which the scanner driver unit 1403 displays on the display of the handheld terminal 1400, and then performs operation for the execution of scanning. The scanner driver unit 1403 supplies scan job information conforming to the scan setting to the encode/decode unit 1404 in accordance with the operation of the execution of scanning by the operator. The encode/decode unit 1404 generates packet data conforming to the scan job information and transmits it to the image processing apparatus 1401 via the wireless communication unit 1405.
The handheld terminal 1400 and the image processing apparatus 1401 perform data communication by wireless communication via the wireless communication unit 1405 of the handheld terminal 1400 and the wireless communication unit 1406 of the image processing apparatus 1401. The encode/decode unit 1407 generates scan job information by analyzing the packet data received by the wireless communication unit 1406, and supplies the scan job information to the job control domain unit 1410.
The job control domain unit 1410 controls processing for a plurality of jobs such as a scan job, copy job, and print job. Upon receiving scan job information, the job control domain unit 1410 operates the scanner unit 1411 on the basis of the supplied scan job information. The scanner unit 1411 reads a document from a document feeder mounted on the image processing apparatus 1401, and stores the obtained image data in a storage device.
The job control domain unit 1410 supplies notification information indicating the generation and storage of image data to the encode/decode unit 1407. The encode/decode unit 1407 generates packet data in accordance with this notification information, and transmits the data to the handheld terminal 1400 via the wireless communication unit 1406.
In the handheld terminal 1400, upon receiving this notification information, the scanner driver unit 1403 transmits an image acquisition command to the image processing apparatus 1401. The scanner driver unit 1403 receives image data from the image processing apparatus 1401 as a response to the command, and supplies the image data to the application unit 1402 via the I/F 1450.
Note that the controller UI unit 1408 supplies input information corresponding to the operation by the operator to the controller application unit 1409, and also generates a display window for the information supplied from the controller application unit 1409 on the display. The controller application unit 1409 supplies job information such as a copy job, scan job, or transmit job to the job control domain unit 1410 in accordance with input information from the controller UI unit 1408. The printer unit 1412 is controlled by the job control domain unit 1410 to print image data.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 09-297668 and 2004-364002 disclose conventional techniques. According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 09-297668, it is determined whether a host apparatus and an image forming apparatus are connected to each other via a local interface or a network interface. In accordance with the determination result, print processing operations are switched to set an optimal image formation environment.
According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-364002, a computer transmits setting information indicating the contents of image processing to a handheld terminal via a local interface. The handheld terminal stores the setting information in its storage unit upon authentication of the user. When the user carrying the handheld terminal storing the setting information moves to near an MFP (image processing apparatus (multifunction apparatus)), the handheld terminal transmits the setting information to the MFP via the local interface upon authentication of the user. The MFP executes image processing on the basis of the received setting information.
In the conventional image processing system, however, the operator needs to select one of the image processing apparatuses located in the communicable range with which communication is to be performed. It is therefore impossible to make the most of the mobility and convenience of a handheld terminal capable of wireless communication with an image processing apparatus upon movement near to it. Furthermore, the operator is allowed to perform setting and operation for scanning only on a scanner driver window on the handheld terminal. This poses a problem that the operability on a relatively small operation window like that on a handheld terminal considerably deteriorates.